Ward Bond (1903-1960)

Ward Bond

Ward Bond was an American film actor who appeared in many movies of
Hollywood's Golden Age, always in a supporting role. It was not
until late in his career that he achieved stardom, ironically on
television, as the wagon master Major Seth Adams in 'Wagon Train'.

A list of the films in which he appeared includes many of the
classic movies of the Golden Age, ranging from 'It Happened
One Night' in 1934, and 'Gone with the Wind' in 1939' to 'Its a
Wonderful Life' in 1946, and 'The Searchers' in 1956.

In all he appeared in over 250 films, seven of which appear in the
American Film Institute's 100 Years... 100 Movies list - more than
any other actor.

Biography

Ward Bond was born Wardell Edwin Bond in Benkelman, Nebraska, on
April 9, 1903, the son of a lumberyard worker. When he was 16 his
family moved to Denver and he attended school at Denver's East High
School. He then enrolled at the University of Southern California
and it was through playing American football for the USC team that
he entered movies. Also playing for the USC team was John Wayne,
then called Marion Morrison, who became a lifelong friend.

Through Wayne, he met movie director John Ford and became part of a
group of USC players recruited to take part in John Ford's 1929 movie
'Salute', the story of Army versus Navy rivalry on the football
field. From then on he and Wayne started to get regular bit parts in
movies.

Both went on to follow a Hollywood acting career, Wayne eventually
as a leading man and ultimately one of the greatest stars in
Hollywood, and Bond always in the background, always in secondary
roles, but gradually making a name for himself as a dependable and
consistent member of the Hollywood acting fraternity.

For the first 10 years of his acting career Bond played mostly small
character parts, sometimes non-speaking, often as crooks, cops, or
western baddies because of his bulky 6'2" frame. Typical are movies
such as 'Born Reckless' in 1930 where he plays a soldier, 'Quick
Millions' in 1931 as a Cop and 'Lady for a Day' in 1933 when he
portrays a Mounted Policeman.

His first important movie was in 1934 when he had a small,
uncredited role in the award-winning 'It Happened One Night'
starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. Gradually his parts got
bigger and by the end of the 1930's he started to get sizeable
roles some provided with help of John Wayne who had become a major
star after his appearance in 'Stagecoach' in 1939.

Bond's appetite for work was enormous. He appeared in 21 movies in
1939 alone including 'Young Mr. Lincoln', 'Drums Along the Mohawk',
'Confessions of a Nazi Spy', and culminating with his appearance as a
Union officer in 'Gone With The Wind'.

During the following decade his roles, although still not starring,
continued to improve. He appeared in several classic, award-winning
films such as 'The Grapes of Wrath' in 1940, and the following year
opposite Humphrey Bogart in 'The Maltese Falcon'. In 1942 he was the
boxer John L. Sullivan in 'Gentleman Jim' and in 1946 in another award-winning movie, 'Its a Wonderful Life' as Bert, the cop. Again
and again he appears in top class movies. During the 1950's he
continues the trend with an appearance in 'Mister Roberts' in 1955 and
the following year in 'The Searchers' and again in 1959 in 'Rio
Bravo'.

One of his finest roles is in 1952 in 'On Dangerous Ground' when he
plays the father of a murdered girl, who is looking for vengeance
but does not find satisfaction. His acting in the movie is very
moving.

Towards the end of his career Bond finally became a star in his own
right, ironically on television, when he was cast as Major Seth
Adams in the NBC western television series 'Wagon Train' in 1957. It
was indisputably his program and he had a big say in the content. It
became one of the most successful television Westerns ever, and
later became the inspiration for Gene Roddenberry's 'Star Trek.'

Bond was an opinionated man who did not suffer fools gladly. Even
during his period as star of 'Wagon Train' he was as well known to
the public for his off screen clashes with his fellow cast members
and his ultra right-wing conservative politics, as he was for the
quality of his acting. He was well known and well publicised as an
active member of the right-wing Motion Picture Alliance for the
Preservation of American Ideals, whose major political platform was
implacable opposition to communists in the film industry. Bond made
many enemies by his hard-bitten stance against people in the
industry whom he regarded as communist.

He was twice married. In 1936 he married Doris Childs whom he
divorced in 1944. After 10 years of batchelordom as a hard-drinking member of the 'John Ford Stock Company', which
included Harry Carey, Jr., Ben Johnson, and John Wayne, he married
Mary Lou May, who was secretary to John Wayne's business manager.
They stayed together until his death.

Ward Bond died suddenly of a massive heart attack on November 5,
1960 whilst on a visit to attend a football game in Dallas. He was
57 years old. His funeral eulogy was given by John Wayne.

Ward Bond Academy Awards

No Nominations:

Ward Bond Filmography

1925

1926

1927

1928

1929Words and Music (uncredited)Salute
So This Is College (uncredited)

1930The Lone Star Ranger (uncredited)Born RecklessThe Big House (uncredited) The Big Trail (uncredited) Up the River (uncredited)
A Handful of Clouds (uncredited)

1931The Yankee at King Arthur's Court Quick Millions (uncredited)Three Girls Lost (uncredited) The Spider (uncredited) The Blonde Reporter (uncredited) Larceny Lane (uncredited) Over the Hill(uncredited) Arrowsmith (uncredited)Maker of Men (uncredited)

1933Lucky DevilsState Trooper Obey the Law Unknown Valley When Strangers Marry Heroes for Sale (uncredited)The Wrecker Lady for a Day (uncredited)Dangerous Days (uncredited)Police Car 17 Football Coach (uncredited) Son of a Sailor (uncredited) Straightaway
The Fighting Code

1934Frontier Marshal School for Romance Speed Wings (uncredited) It Happened One Night(uncredited)The Poor Rich The Fighting Ranger Voice in the Night Whirlpool The Crime of Helen Stanley I'll Tell the World (uncredited) The Most Precious Thing in Life The Circus Clown (uncredited)Here Comes the Groom A Man's Game The Defense Rests The Affairs of Cellini (uncredited) Chained (uncredited) The Human Side Girl in Danger Death on the Diamond (uncredited)
6 Day Bike Rider (uncredited)Urgent Call Men of the Night
Strictly Confidential (uncredited)

1935Grand Old Girl Under Pressure (uncredited) Devil Dogs of the Air The Trunk Mystery (uncredited) Times Square Lady (uncredited) The Crimson Trail Strangers All (uncredited) Black Fury Fighting Shadows 'G' Men (1935) (uncredited)Casino de Paree (uncredited) The Woman in the Case

Wanderlust (uncredited) Justice of the Range Murder in the Fleet (uncredited) Calm Yourself (uncredited) She Gets Her Man Little Big Shot His Night Out Waterfront LadyThe Last Days of Pompeii (uncredited) The Baxter Millions (uncredited) Western Courage Guard That Girl I Found Stella Parish (uncredited) Broadway Hostess (uncredited)Too Tough to Kill We're Only Human (uncredited) Eventful Journey

1936Two in the Dark (uncredited) Sinister House The Marines Have Landed Boulder Dam (uncredited) Colleen (uncredited)
Pride of the Marines The First Baby (uncredited) The Case Against Mrs. Ames (uncredited) Avenging Waters Fatal Lady (uncredited) The Cattle Thief The Bride Walks Out (uncredited) High Tension (uncredited) White Fang (uncredited)
Crash Donovan Second Wife (uncredited) They Met in a Taxi (uncredited) The Man Who Lived Twice The Big Game (uncredited) Without Orders Legion of Terror
The Accusing Finger (uncredited) Conflict
After the Thin Man (uncredited)

1937 Woman-Wise The Devil's Playground You Only Live Once (uncredited) When's Your Birthday? (uncredited) Millionaire Playboy 23 1/2 Hours Leave Michael Strogoff (uncredited) Night Key They Gave Him a Gun(uncredited) The Go Getter The Wildcatter Mountain Music (uncredited) A Fight to the Finish The Singing Marine (uncredited) Marry the Girl (uncredited) Topper (uncredited) Dead End Escape by NightThe Game That Kills Music for Madame (uncredited) The Westland Case (uncredited)
Fight for Your Lady (uncredited)

1938Of Human HeartsPenitentiary (uncredited)Don't Pull Your Punches (uncredited) Born to Be Wild Bringing Up Baby (uncredited) Hawaii Calls Mr. Moto's Gamble Over the Wall The Adventures of Marco Polo (uncredited)Flight Into Nowhere Gun Law Private Nurse Reformatory Prison BreakProfessor Beware (uncredited)The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse You Can't Take It with You (uncredited)Fugitives for a Night (uncredited) The Law West of Tombstone Submarine Patrol Going Places (uncredited)

1939Son of Frankenstein They Made Me a CriminalMade for Each Other (uncredited) Pardon Our Nerve The Oklahoma KidTrouble in Sundown Dodge City Mr. Moto on Danger Island Union Pacific (uncredited) Confessions of a Nazi Spy (uncredited)Return of the Cisco Kid Orphan of the Ring Young Mr. Lincoln The Girl from Mexico Waterfront Frontier Marshal Dust Be My Destiny (uncredited)Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence Drums Along the MohawkGone With The WindThe Cisco Kid and the Lady

1940Mexican Spitfire The Grapes Of WrathLittle Old New York Virginia City (uncredited) Buck Benny Rides Again The Mortal StormSailor's Lady Kit Carson City for Conquest (uncredited) The Long Voyage Home Santa Fe Trail